


Mug Shards and Hospital Visits

by CiaranthePage



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Suicide, No Character Death, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-05-16 19:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5837578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CiaranthePage/pseuds/CiaranthePage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl has always been fragile, they knew that. They were hesitant. She was getting better, there was no reason for her to crack under the pressure of <i>watching Steven</i>. That's what Garnet thought. But Garnet isn't always right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shards

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter contains references to self-harm, past suicidal ideation, cheating (not the tagged pairing), and hospitalization. Be safe, don't go beyond here if you don't like/can't read about those!

Garnet stretched her arms above her head, relishing in the silence. She was in the two-hour lull between her last afternoon class and her first evening one, and she was determined to make the most of it. It was perfectly silent, save for the calming music playing through her radio. This was her favorite part of the day.

 

A loud pop song broke through her concentration.

 

She took a deep breath and dropped her pose, ready to scold Sugilite for changing the station on her radio again. Except -- she wasn't there. Sugilite was in the other room.

The song was coming from Garnet's bag.

 

Pulling it open, Garnet saw a familiar purple grin displayed across her phone screen. "AMETHYST" was spelled out across the top. She must have changed her ringtone in Garnet's phone the last time she borrowed it.

 

This would normally be fine, except -- wasn't Amethyst supposed to be at work? A call at this time of day meant something had to have happened.

 

Answering the phone, Garnet said, "Hello?"

 

"Garnet I need you to come home," Amethyst blurted. "Like, _right now_."

 

"What?! Amethyst, don't you have work?" Garnet demanded.

 

"Yeah but I had to leave Garnet _please_ I need you HOME."

 

"Slow down, what happened?"

 

"P-pearl. She. God, Garnet please don't question me I just need you to come home."

 

"No, I can't just leave! I need an explanation! What happened to Pearl?"

 

"S-she broke again. Relapsed. Whatever. Steven called me like half an hour ago and he was crying. I can't deal with both of them at once so I need your help!" the frustration in Amethyst's voice was almost at the point of tears by now.

 

Garnet could feel her own eyes burn. They'd left Pearl home alone with Steven for the first time in a few months -- she'd been getting better. Garnet had been a bit worried, but Pearl had assured her it would be alright. Something had to have happened. Garnet had learned to read Pearl rather well and that morning she'd been fine.

 

"I'll be home as soon as I can," Garnet said, taking a deep breath. "Don't panic. We'll be fine."

 

"Hopefully," Amethyst said. "I don't know. I'm almost home -- I called Peridot, but I need you to help with Steven."

 

"Did you call Sky already?" Garnet asked, packing up her bag.

 

"Yeah, straight to voicemail. I don’t know why I bothered, she doesn’t talk like ninety percent of the time. I texted her right before I called you and I think she's already gotten back to me. Just please get home. Bye."

 

The phone clicked off before Garnet could say anything else. She threw her phone into her bag and tossed it over her shoulder. "Sugilite!" she called.

 

Sugilite poked her head into the room, confused. "What's up? You were just on the phone, right? Because you sounded super worried."

 

"Don't bother yourself with it. I've got a bit of a family emergency to take care of, can you close tonight?"

 

"No problem, I guess. I'll tell the manager if you want. Is Sapphire okay?"

 

"Please. I have to leave. Sapphire's fine."

 

Sugilite waved her out the door, and Garnet ran. She climbed into her car and turned the key as she dialed up Peridot, who she hoped was already at the house.

 

"Garnet?" Peridot answered as Garnet pulled out of the parking lot. "Amethyst said you were just on the phone with her."

 

“I was. But I need to talk to you. Is Steven okay?”

 

“...yeah,” Peridot sighed. “He’s just shaken up. He’s still in his room right now.”

 

“How much did he see? How bad is Pearl?”

 

“Not much?” she said, unsure. “Amethyst said she found Pearl’s room locked. I don’t even think he knows everything that’s going on.”

 

“And Pearl?”

 

“No idea. Amethyst is handling all of that, she said she was the one who should do it. Since they’re dating, and she’s ‘dealt with it before.’ Apparently one of Pearl’s sisters is coming to help with that mess?”

 

“Amethyst has handled this before, I understand that part. It’s likely Sky coming to help. Just keep Steven company for now. I’m on my way home.”

 

“That’s what I’m doing. Amethyst told me to keep him in his room while she handles Pearl. But, Garnet, before you go…”

 

“What?”

 

“What exactly did Pearl _do_? Amethyst won't tell me. I haven’t known her as long as you two. I have only a half-idea about what’s going on. Steven keeps asking and I don’t have an answer for him!”

 

“...I’ll explain it to you when I get there. Bye Peridot.”

 

“See ya Garn--”

 

Garnet hung up, taking a deep breath. She didn’t want to do this. She knew she’d have to talk to Pearl later. Something had to set her off, and if it was bad, it could throw off everyone. She vaguely remembered some things that might have happened -- anything with her blood family, for one. Of course, sometimes she just had episodes, and afterward, she was fine. Shaken, but fine.

 

...random episodes never left her in the hospital.

 

Garnet pulled into the driveway, only taking her phone inside. She opened the door quickly, running up the staircase. Lion followed at her heels, meowing in protest of being disturbed. “Shush,” Garnet said, knocking on Steven’s door.

 

The sound of Camp Pining Hearst faintly echoed from inside and grew louder when Peridot opened the door. “Thank god,” she said. “We’ve been waiting for you. I got him to stop crying, but now he’s barely talking.”

 

Garnet nodded and walked inside. “Steven,” she said gently. “Are you alright? Can you tell me what happened?”

 

She sat down next to him on the bed. Peridot took her laptop back as Steven hugged Garnet, sniffling. “You’re home,” he said.

 

“Mhm,” Garnet hummed, hugging him back. “But, Steven, you have to answer the questions.”

 

“...I don’t know,” he admitted. “I went to see what Pearl was doing because I needed help with my workbook. But when I got up there…”

 

He wiped his eyes, tears welling up again. “Her door was locked, and I couldn’t hear anything inside. I got worried, so I knocked and heard something plastic hit the floor. She tried to tell me she was okay, but she sounded upset. I couldn’t get her to open the door. No matter what I did! Finally I asked her what was wrong and.

 

“She went really quiet, and then she started to cry. She kept repeating something, and then she told me to call Amethyst because she was hurt! What _happened_? How did she get hurt?!”

 

Garnet hugged him tighter. “Pearl… is going to be okay,” she assured him. “I’ll tell you what happened once we visit her at the hospital. I think she’ll want to explain too.”

 

“Amethyst left with Pearl and another person just before you showed up,” Peridot said. “Amethyst said she’d text you once they got the all clear to visit her.”

 

“You might have to wait until tomorrow,” Garnet sighed. “For now, Peridot and I will watch you. Unless you want to stay with Greg.”

 

“...can Dad come here?” Steven asked.

 

“I’ll call him,” Garnet said. “Peridot, can you stay here?”

 

“Yeah, no problem,” Peridot shrugged. “Oh, Amethyst said to check Pear’s room for something.”

 

Garnet nodded. She stood, leaving the door open for Lion as she left. Pearl’s room was just down the hall, so she figured she’d go there first.

 

It was a catastrophe.

 

There were things strewn all across the desk and clothes all over the floor. Shards of a white mug were scattered in a circle, most stained with blood in one way or another. The air was heavy with the scent of drying blood and tears. Pieces of Pearl’s scissors were discarded here and there, the blades not in immediate sight. A bottle of painkillers lied in the middle of the mug circle (probably the plastic Steven had heard hit the floor). It didn't have any blood on it, which was a good sign. There _was_ blood on the sheets, where it looked like someone had let a wound drip everywhere.

 

The whole scene made Garnet sick to her stomach. It was probably the painkillers Amethyst had been looking for. It was a brand new bottle -- no one had opened it yet, so if the seal was broken…

 

It wasn't. Garnet said a silent prayer of thanks and pulled out her phone. She began texting Amethyst as she moved into the hallway, not wanting to be surrounded by the smell anymore.

 

_Garnet: Amethyst, what did you want to look for?_

_Amethyst: This is Sky. Pearl is conscious. Lots of cuts. Doctor said she'll recover. Soon hopefully._

_Garnet: Good news. What was I looking for in her room?_

_Amethyst: Bottles and sharps --Sky_

_Garnet: Bottle is unopened. Mug shards and scissors so far. Do you have any idea what caused the episode?_

_Amethyst: Not yet. Pearl hasn't said. She wants to know if Steven is okay. --Sky_

_Garnet: Steven’s alright. He's a strong boy. He wants to know what happened. I think we should tell him._

_Amethyst: She dislikes the idea. But trusts you. --Sky_

_Amethyst: im back. so the bottle was still sealed?_

_Garnet: Yeah. Does the doctor need pictures?_

_Amethyst: no. told him what you found and he agreed. they're taking her in for a thorough exam and maybe a blood transfusion. sky is staying overnight for sure, do you need me at home?_

_Garnet: No, stay with Pearl. You'll need to be there to keep us updated on her condition._

_Amethyst: okay. can you or peri run a change of clothes down here? im still in my work uniform._

_Garnet: I'll ask Peridot to get something to you. Call me when we can visit._

_Amethyst: got it. just tell the nurse my name, she'll get it up to me. ttyl_

_Garnet: Talk to you later_

 

Garnet dialed Greg’s number, quickly explaining the situation and that Steven wanted him there. Greg assured Garnet he'd be over as soon as possible, then hung up. Sticking her phone in her pocket, Garnet opened Amethyst's room and went inside. She gathered a quick outfit and overnight bag for Amethyst, with an extra coat for Sky just in case.

 

She walked back to Steven’s room, where Peridot was setting up another episode of CPH. “Peridot,” Garnet said, catching her attention, “I need you to take this to the hospital for Amethyst.”

 

Peridot stood, taking the bag. “Okay. How do I get it to her?”

 

“Tell the front desk her name when you get there. They'll get it to her.”

 

“Is Amethyst not coming home?” Steven asked.

 

“Not tonight,” Garnet sighed. “She has to stay with Pearl. Greg will be here soon, though.”

 

“I'll be back later,” Peridot said, maneuvering out the door with the bag. “You can keep my laptop until I get back.”

 

Then she was gone, leaving Garnet and Steven alone. Garnet sat down on his bed, pulling him into her lap and sitting the laptop on her knees. “Let's watch something,” she said. “To get your mind off of it.”

 

Steven nodded. “Can we watch Crying Breakfast Friends?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Garnet pulled up Crying Breakfast Friends. They watched in relative silence, Steven  occasionally breaking it with a soft giggle. She hugged him lightly, trying not to nod off in case Amethyst needed her. Lion was finally content enough to come into the room, and he curled up on the bed next to Garnet.

 

A knock on the door rang through the house. Steven sat up, looking towards the door. “That's probably Dad,” he said.

 

Garnet moved the laptop, and Steven bolted downstairs. She closed the device and stood, setting it on the desk in the corner. Greg and Steven’s voices drifted up the staircase. Greg sounded concerned, and Steven was still sniffling, but that was all Garnet could make out. She stretched in the hallway and walked downstairs.

 

Greg was hugging Steven, and he motioned up the stairs when he made eye contact with Garnet. She nodded. He had asked for details on what happened over the phone, but she'd only given him the basics. He'd known them long enough, Garnet knew he'd be able to figure it out.

 

“Hey Garnet,” Greg greeted. “Are you the only one home?”

 

“For now. Peridot’s dropping stuff off for Amethyst, she'll be back later,” Garnet said. She looked over at the clock, which read 6:00 in blinking red. “We should eat soon. Once she comes home.”

 

Steven nodded. Greg ruffled his hair, and said, “Works for me. Do you want to head upstairs and practice for a while?”

 

“Yeah,” Steven smiled, just barely.

 

They headed upstairs, and Garnet felt her phone buzz. Pulling it out, she opened her texts.

 

_Peridot: so I got the stuff to Amethhyst. They wouldn't let me up._

_Garnet: To be expected. Are you on your way back?_

_Peridot: yyesh. I'm in my car right now. Dropped by my plxe to get stuff and let Jsper know I'm not coming jome._

_Garnet: That's good. We'll eat when you get here. Are you alright?_

_Peridot: Im ffinee. I'll be bvk woon. Who else is there?_

_Garnet: Just Steven and Greg._

_Peridot: k_

 

Garnet didn't dwell on Peridot much, figuring she could ask when she got back. She busied herself with random chores -- picking up the living room, organizing her desk, even calling to check in with Ruby and Sapphire -- to keep her mind off of everything. Amethyst texted her to let them know they could visit the next day, and that Pearl could be out of the hospital within the next few days. That was all decent news.

 

Peridot arrived home a poorly concealed, anxious mess. She didn't look Garnet in the eye for few minutes, instead getting a drink out of the fridge. When Garnet questioned her, she simply said, “I'll tell you later.”

 

Garnet sat Peridot at the table, silence hanging in the air for a while. Eventually, Garnet started off with, “So. How much do you know about what happened?”

 

“What Steven told you,” Peridot said.

 

A deep breath. “Alright. Well, the most basic answer is Pearl caused all of this herself.”

 

Peridot’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh.”

 

“She's had a long history,” Garnet continued, “of this sort of behavior. So it's not _abnormal_ , per se, but still upsetting.”

 

“...and you left her alone?”

 

“Yes. She's a strong person, and she's been getting better. She hadn't had any issues in some time, so we figured we could try again. Amethyst needed a job, Pearl mostly works from home during the day, I have the gym. We established the system when Steven moved in.”

 

“But if she was fine, why did this happen?”

 

“We don't know yet. We have to ask her in the morning.”

 

Peridot shook her head. “Never took Pearl for someone like m-- like that.”

 

Garnet didn't respond to that. Instead, she asked, “Why are you so shaken up?”

 

Peridot went back to looking at her can. “You know that girl I said I was dating?”

 

“Mhmm.”

 

“I heard and Jasper...yeah…in the other room when I dropped by the apartment.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Peridot bit her lip. “I mean, it's trivial compared to Pearl’s issue, but it. Still stings. I knew they were friends and all, just didn't know there were _benefits_ involved.”

 

Garnet hummed. She put a hand on Peridot’s shoulder. “We'll help you figure something out. Try not to think about it too much tonight. You can have the spare room or the couch. We're going to the hospital in the morning.”

 

“...thanks.”

 

Peridot took her can upstairs to the guest room. Garnet waited a few minutes, then went to her own room. Her phone was still on high volume when she went to plug it in, just in case. It wasn't too late, but she wanted to sit by herself for a while.

 

After a bit, Garnet made a light meal for everyone, with some help from Steven (she wasn't the best cook). Steven had largely calmed down and spoke during dinner conversation. He was, however, tired. So Garnet sent him (and Peridot) to bed right after dinner. Greg hesitated downstairs, and Garnet approached him.

 

“How is everything?” he asked. “Did she just…?”

 

“Yes,” Garnet mumbled, trying not be heard upstairs. “We'll be fine. Steven is gonna be fine. He's young, and the rest of us have dealt with it before.”

 

Greg nodded. He knew everything Garnet said was true. “That's good to hear. Well, I'm gonna hit the sack. Goodnight Garnet.”

 

“Goodnight Greg.”

  
Greg went upstairs, leaving Garnet alone. She followed suit after stretching for a while in silence. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	2. Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garnet suddenly nudged his shoulder. He turned to see a nurse waiting for them, a soft smile on her face. She was decently pretty, with dark skin and light fluffy hair tied back in a ponytail. Her name tag said "Poppy" on it, and she motioned for them to follow. "You're Garnet, right?" she asked Garnet, who nodded. "Right this way. Pearl seemed rather excited to see you."
> 
> Garnet gave the nurse a pained smile, saying, "I'm sure she is."

Garnet awoke the next morning, at first confused as to why she didn't hear Pearl downstairs making food. Everything came crashing down from the day before, making her sit up in bed and grab at her phone. No new messages -- she sighed in relief.

Crossing her legs, Garnet took a few deep breaths. She had to be calm and collected today of all days. She was the backbone, the support. A good example.

She went through her normal routine, showering and taking some time to stretch. She felt almost at peace by the time she sat down at the table with a mug of tea. Truthfully, though, she wanted this day to be over with.

Peridot came downstairs some time later, avoiding eye contact with Garnet. She hijacked the coffee maker almost immediately after entering the kitchen, watching it brew in silence.

"Good morning," Garnet said, standing up and leaning against the counter a few feet away.

Peridot let out a quick grunt in response. Garnet took a long sip of her tea. She noticed that Peridot was wearing a huge sweater that Garnet had never seen -- was it hers? Didn't matter.

"Do you want to visit Pearl with us?" Garnet asked.

Peridot poured the coffee into a mug, shrugging one shoulder. She slid past Garnet to the dining table, still not making any eye contact. Garnet took a seat as well, waiting.

A few minutes later, someone hugged Garnet from the side. "Morning Garnet!" Steven greeted.

"Good morning, Steven. Did you sleep well last night?" Garnet asked, giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"I slept okay," Steven said, shrugging. "Are we gonna see Pearl today?"

"Mhm. Why don't you go have breakfast?"

"Okay! Did you eat?" Steven asked, already halfway to the kitchen.

"I'm not really hungry, but thank you."

"What about you, Peridot?"

Peridot looked up from her coffee mug, blinking. Garnet just waved him on, and he shrugged. Peridot wasn't really a morning person, apparently. Steven went about making breakfast for himself, humming and telling Peridot about what he'd been up to since they'd last seen each other.

Greg came down last, greeting everyone. Peridot finally managed a few words when Steven asked her about her job ("It's been slow"), which was good. Garnet could almost pretend everything was normal -- it was close to the morning after Amethyst's birthday. But Garnet's phone weighed heavily in her pocket, reminding her of the previous day's events.

There weren't many questions about the future trip to the hospital for the rest of the morning as if they were all denying that it needed to happen.

After an agonizing few hours, Garnet's phone buzzed. She opened the message quickly.

_Amethyst: hey u there_

_Garnet: I'm here. How is Pearl?_

_Amethyst: shes doin ok. the doctor gave the okay for visits_

_Garnet: That's good news. When can we visit? Steven wants to see her._

_Amethyst: i figured. anytime but they dont know when shes goin home yet_

_Garnet: We'll cross that bridge when we get there._

_Garnet: I'm bringing Peridot and Steven with me._

_Amethyst: that should be cool_

_Amethyst: see ya then_

_Garnet: See you soon._

Garnet slid her phone back into her pocket. For a moment, she wondered if they should just  _go_ \-- but then she realized it was probably better to ask.

She went to the living room, where Peridot and Steven were playing a video game and chatting. Peridot seemed quieter than usual and kept twisting around the bracelets on her wrist. Steven compensated well enough by talking to her and cracking jokes about the game, apparently not really caring if he got a response so long as she didn't tell him to stop. "Hey, you two," Garnet said, coming up behind them and leaning on the couch. "Amethyst texted me, and we can go visit Pearl. When do you want to go?"

Steven practically jumped out of his seat, crying, "Now! Can we go now? I want to make sure she's okay."

Peridot looked up at Garnet, shrugging slightly. "I don't care. I'm assuming I'm going."

"If you want to," Garnet said, straightening. "We can go now if you'd like, Steven. Do you have everything you'd want? We can't take much, but maybe a ca--"

"You're right!" Steven said, standing up and rushing towards the staircase. "I made her a card, let me go get it!"

Peridot stood, shoving her hands inside of her front pocket. "I don't have anything. I'm assuming we're taking your car?"

"Yes," Garnet said, nodding.

Peridot walked outside to the car, and Garnet took Steven's hand when he came downstairs with his card in hand. They followed Peridot out and got in the car. The ride to the hospital was mostly filled with the radio, as Steven seemed apprehensive and Peridot was still quiet.

"Are you alright?" Garnet said in a low voice, turning up the radio so Steven couldn't hear her as well. "You don't have to come if you don't think you're up to it."

"I'm fine," Peridot protested weakly. "I'll be fine."

Garnet sighed, turning the radio back down. She leaned back, keeping her eyes on the road. The drive was quiet. The hospital loomed up in front of them before long, and Garnet parked as close as she could get to the front entrance. She turned back to Steven, stopping him from getting out of the car right away. "I need you to be extra quiet while we're inside, alright? Good behavior."

Steven nodded, smiling slightly and saying, "Serious Steven!"

Garnet laughed, then got out of the car. Peridot followed closely behind, and all three walked to the hospital door. Garnet went up to the front desk, talking in a near whisper as she explained who they were there to see.

"Let's go sit down," Peridot sighed. "I have a feeling it's going to be a while. I brought my DS, you can watch me play."

Steven smiled, though it looked a bit forced. He followed Peridot to one of the chairs and sat down next to her. Peridot made sure the game system was turned all the way down, then shifted to let Steven see the game as she played. It was a fantasy RPG type -- just the thing to keep him busy while they waited. Garnet sat on Steven's other side, pulling out her phone to text Amethyst.

_Garnet: We're here. Waiting for them to let us up. Everything still okay?_

_Amethyst: they told us. the nurse is talking to pearl about it rn_

_Garnet: Alright. See you when they bring us up._

Steven watched Peridot play for several more minutes as they waited, and for a few of those he almost could forget that he was waiting to see Pearl in the hospital. Almost.

Garnet suddenly nudged his shoulder. He turned to see a nurse waiting for them, a soft smile on her face. She was decently pretty, with dark skin and light fluffy hair tied back in a ponytail. Her name tag said "Poppy" on it, and she motioned for them to follow. "You're Garnet, right?" she asked Garnet, who nodded. "Right this way. Pearl seemed rather excited to see you."

Garnet gave the nurse a pained smile, saying, "I'm sure she is."

Steven took Garnet's hand, partially to comfort her and partially to comfort himself. Peridot kept looking at the ground, counting the tiles under her breath. Steven opened his mouth to ask her about it, but decided against it and closed it again. Peridot did stuff like this all the time when she got nervous. It was how Steven could tell she was nervous in the first place! But she always got super defensive when he asked about it, so he didn't like to ask. Peridot caught him staring at her, and smiled. "It's fine," she mouthed.

"Go on in," the nurse said, standing off to the side. "It's a five person limit, but there are only two people in there at the moment, so you should be fine."

She stood by the door, waiting for them to go inside. Steven went in first, almost bursting into the room.

Pearl was lying in the bed, looking tired but otherwise okay. Amethyst sat in a chair beside her, whispering things to her. A person Steven had never seen before, who almost resembled Pearl, stood off to the side. Upon spotting Steven, Pearl sat up and reached out her arms, which were covered in bandages. "Steven!" she cried, sounding relieved. "Oh, Steven, come here."

Amethyst stood up to let Steven have the chair. He stood on it and gave Pearl a hug, as tight as he dared. The bandages were surprisingly soft on his arms, but their presence made him uneasy. "I'm so sorry for yesterday sweetie," Pearl said, slowly letting go. "I shouldn't have worried you like that..."

"It's okay," Steven assured her quietly.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Pearl said. "You haven't met my sister yet, have you?"

Steven looked over to the person who resembled Pearl, who waved at him. "This is Sky," Pearl explained. "She's one of my sisters. She's not one for talking too much, but she's the nicer of the two..."

Steven walked over to Sky. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. She looked almost exactly like Pearl -- same face structure, same nose, same basic form -- but her hips were wider, and her hair was longer and dyed blue. Her eyes seemed slightly darker, as did her skin. "I'm Steven," Steven said, holding out his hand. "It's nice to meet you! You're kind of like my aunt, since Pearl is technically one of my moms, huh?"

Sky let out a soft giggle, shrugging as if to say "I guess so".

Steven went back over to where Pearl was lying, sitting on the chair. Garnet managed to get Peridot to come over, and Pearl smiled at both of them. "I hope you're... okay," Peridot said, side-eyeing Sky.

"I should be fine," Pearl said, running her fingers through her hair and wincing. "Just a few days of rest here, and then I'll be home before you know it."

Steven noticed the wince but decided not to ask about it. His eyes lit up as he remembered something, and pulled out the card. "I made this for you!" he said, handing it to Pearl.

Pearl opened it, gasping softly in surprise. It was lovingly decorated and colored, with drawings of the whole family and Peridot together, with "GET WELL SOON!!!" spelled out over the top. She wiped away a tear as she set it in her lap. "I love it," she said, her voice warm and loving. "Thank you, Steven."

Steven smiled at her, though behind him Garnet gave Amethyst a look. Amethyst realized what it meant, and straightened. "Hey Steven, wanna see something cool?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Steven said, jumping up. "I'll be back soon Pearl!"

Pearl waved him out as Amethyst escorted him out the door. Garnet took the vacated seat, putting her head in her hands. "I'm... I'm sure you know what I'm gonna ask you, Pearl," she sighed.

"...Yes, I think I know," Pearl said, looking away. Her smile had faded. "Why this all happened, I'm assuming?"

"As much of it as you can tell me."

Pearl took a deep breath and gave Peridot a sidelong glance. "It was just. It's my mother," Pearl said, slumping back. "She called, and... she just started talking. She was blaming me for what's been happening to Cecilia, and Sky not getting the job she wanted her to have. She sounded so  _angry_ , she was making these disgusting comments about Amethyst and I...I couldn't handle it. It's reflex, and I shouldn't have --" She started to choke up, her voice failing.

"I understand," Garnet assured her. "You don't have to talk about it more if you don't want to, it's alright."

"T-thank you, Garnet," Pearl said. "Just... don't tell Steven all of this. I don't want him to end up scared whenever my mother calls, half the time it's not even her."

"I won't. But we should still explain... why."

Amethyst came back in, Steven in tow. They had foam cups in their hands, and Steven was blowing on his. "What'd I miss?" he asked.

"Not much," Peridot said. "But Pearl has... something to tell you."

Steven looked at Pearl expectantly. She took a deep breath, looking at Garnet and then back at Steven. "Garnet says... I should tell you what happened," she said softly. "Do you want to know?"

Steven nodded.

"I... I did this t-to myself. But I'll be okay. I won't do it again."

Steven froze, and Pearl's face was washed with regret. But he seemed to almost melt as if he was realizing something. "O-oh," he said. "Um..."

"We don't have to talk about it right now," Garnet said. "We should probably go home and let Peridot rest. We'll come back tomorrow to see her again."

Steven nodded. He gave Amethyst and Pearl goodbye hugs and took Garnet's hand as they left.

The car ride home was almost quieter than the ride there. Steven was stewing in his newfound information, and Peridot almost seemed to be struggling. When they got home, Greg had left -- the note on the table informed them that he'd gotten a call from the car wash and wasn't sure when he'd be back. Steven and Peridot played video games on and off for the rest of the day, and Steven didn't say much about the visit at all. Garnet, worried for him, starting talking to Amethyst about a... last minute plan. She wasn't entirely sure if she liked it, but it was good to have backup in case things went wrong.

Things, of course, went wrong. Towards the end of the evening, in the middle of dinner, Peridot  got a call. She pulled her phone out of her hoodie and looked at it in disgust. Steven opened his mouth to ask her who it was; Peridot stood up before he could respond and stomped out the front door. She slammed it shut, but they could still hear her yelling. Garnet caught "JASPER" a few times, mostly followed by expletives and accusations. She shooed Steven up to his room with the remainder of his food as the argument outside began to get louder and more violent sounding. He looked at Garnet from the top of the stairs, and asked, "Is Peridot okay?"

"We'll see."

Once Steven was up in his room, Garnet stood closer to the door to get a better idea of what was going on. Peridot's voice sounded hoarse, but she kept up the near-yelling. She sounded as though she was about to cry, and Garnet was getting more concerned by the minute.

"You think you can just fucking  _call_ me?! And dare to ask where I am?! After you let my  _girlfriend_ cheat on me?! With you! Not even just in our fucking  _house_  Jasper,  _with you_!" Peridot was screaming, punctuating "with you" with a stamp on the ground.

Garnet couldn't hear Jasper's response, but Peridot was rather obviously not happy with it, as she started talking again much sooner than it would normally have taken for Jasper to finish a sentence. "No! You know what? _For-get_ it! I'm not coming back! Keep seeing her, I don't give a flying fuck anymore! Both of you are pieces of shit and no I do  _not_ care if you are my  _sister_  Jasper you _do not_ deserve forgiveness for shit you pulled! I'll find somewhere else!"

Peridot hung up, and collapsed against the door, sliding onto the pavement. She started to cry, letting out heavy sobs and practically wailing. Garnet waited for a moment, then knocked on the door (it felt odd, to be knocking on a door from the inside) and opened it. Peridot nearly fell backwards, her entire body shaking as she tensed up, moving away from the door. She tried to wipe away the tears, though she was still letting out tiny sobs. "L-l-leave me a-alone," she begged.

Garnet took a deep breath. She offered a hand to Peridot, not saying a word. Peridot stared at the outstretched limb for a moment before taking it. Garnet pulled her up and inside, still not saying anything until she had lead Peridot to the couch and let her sit down. "You can sleep here for as long as you need," Garnet said, her voice barely a whisper. "Take some time away from her."

Peridot nodded, still sniffling. Garnet left her on the couch to cry, knowing she needed it.

After that, Garnet went up to Steven's room and sat on his bed. "Steven...I was talking to Amethyst earlier," she said. "And we were talkin' about sending you to Opal's house for a few days until things start to calm down."

Steven looked up from the drawing he was working on, shocked. "What?"

"Pearl is going to be in the hospital for a few days, maybe even a few weeks," Garnet explained softly. "And Peridot... is going through a hard time. I think what she needs is a quiet house. Would you be okay with going to Opal's house?"

Steven thought for a moment, then said, "I... guess. How long would I be there?"

"About a week. Don't think of it as us sending you away -- that's not what we're doing," Garnet assured him, giving him a hug. "Think of it as a vacation."

"Okay... goodnight Garnet. I... I love you."

"Goodnight Steven. I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i take no responsibility for the accuracy of the hospital visit information. I've (thankfully) never had to visit a relative in the hospital for self-harm, only other sorts of injuries and the like. So this is all based on that.  
> In other words, though, I hope you enjoyed this story and thank you for reading!!


	3. Bonus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first draft of this story, which I found hidden away in another work!! Now here for you to cry over. Completely unedited.   
> Have fun.

Garnet was stretching in between classes, getting ready for her next few. She was enjoying the peace for once -- no screaming or hollering across the room. Jasper was in her own class that had ran long.

 

Her phone started to buzz. The familiar sight of the purple grin on Amethyst's lips lit up the screen, drawing her attention.

 

"What does she want?" Garnet mumbled, scooping up the phone. "Isn't she at work?"

 

 She swiped over to answer the phone, perching it on her shoulder so she could keep stretching as she spoke. "Hello?" she answered.

 

"Garnet I need you to come home like,  _right_ now," Amethyst on the other end.

 

"What?" Garnet asked. "Amethyst aren't you at work?"

 

"No. I'm almost home but I can't do this by myself."

 

"Amethyst what happened?"

 

"...I ..."

 

" _Amethyst_."

 

"It's about Steven and Pearl okay!" the sound of Amethyst slamming her hands on the steering wheel of her car was clear in Garnet's ears.

 

Garnet bolted to her feet, holding the phone to her ear. " _What_."

"Steven called me while I was at work and -- and he said that something had happened and I just need you to be there to help me out with him."

 

"I need more than that if you want me to leave Amethyst -- I have work to do."

 

"...Pearl did it again. She relapsed while we were out."

 

Garnet covered her mouth in fear.

 

"She was -- Steven was crying too hard I almost couldn't understand him -- he found her, Garnet. Lying on the floor just bleeding, half conscious."

 

"You're not serious."

 

"I _wish_ I wasn't Garnet. Get Jasper to cover for you. I'll owe her later -- I can take care of Pearl on my own but I can't take care of both of them  _please_ Garnet!"

 

"Fine, I'll be there as soon as I can. Get water into both of them; have you tried calling Greg?"

 

"Busy as fuck. It's nearly spring, everyone's getting their cars ready to drive around and shit."

 

"Shit. What about Peridot?"

 

"She ... that's the other thing. She got mugged and is crashing at Lapis's place until further notice."

 

"...is there anything else I need to know?"

 

"I ... I promised Steven one of us would tell him what's going on. But before you yell at me -- he knows it wasn't an accident, not telling him is going to make it worse. You  _know_ upset he gets when he finds out he's been lied to!"

 

Garnet grit her teeth. Amethyst was right, and as painful as the explanation was likely to be, it was necessary. "I'll be home in less than twenty minutes," Garnet sighed. "Do as much as you can without me. Try calling my mothers if you need someone to talk to Steven."

**Author's Note:**

> random fact that's not relevant to this chapter at all:  
> in this au, sugilite is both a famous boxing champion _and_ garnet and sapphire's younger sister (sapphire is the oldest), which is why she was hanging around the gym.  
>  also don't worry about that one part garnet has an earpiece


End file.
